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Action of 8 January 1780
Spain *Caracas company |combatant2= |commander1= Don Juan Augustín de Yardi |commander2= Sir George Brydges Rodney |strength1=7 warships 15 merchant ships |strength2=20 ships of the line 6 frigates |casualties1=All ships captured Basil p.218 |casualties2=light |campaignbox= }} The Action of 8 January 1780 was a naval encounter off Cape Finisterre between a British Royal Naval fleet under Admiral Sir George Rodney, and a fleet of Spanish merchants sailing in convoy with seven warshipsSyrett (2007), p. 304Syrett (1998), p. 85 of the Caracas Company, under the command of Commodore Don Juan Augustin de Yardi. During the action the entire Spanish convoy was captured. Rodney's fleet was en route to relieve Gibraltar, and this action took place several days before Rodney's engagement and defeat of a Spanish fleet at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent. Background One of Spain's principal goals upon its entry into the American Revolutionary War in 1779 was the recovery of Gibraltar, which had been lost to England in 1704.Chartrand, pp. 12, 30 The Spanish consequently planned to retake Gibraltar by blockading and starving out its garrison, which included troops from Britain and the Electorate of Hanover.Chartrand, pp. 23, 30–31, 37 The siege formally began in June 1779, with the Spanish establishing a land blockade around The Rock.Chartrand, p. 30 The matching naval blockade was comparatively weak, and the British discovered that small fast ships could evade the blockaders, while slower and larger supply ships generally could not. By late 1779, however, supplies in Gibraltar had become seriously depleted, and General George Eliott appealed to London for relief.Chartrand, p. 37 A supply convoy was organized, and in late December 1779 a large fleet sailed from England under the command of Admiral Sir George Brydges Rodney. Although Rodney's final destination was the West Indies, he had secret instructions to first resupply Gibraltar and Minorca.Syrett (2007), p. 237 Action On 4 January Rodney parted with the ship of the line under Sir John Hamilton, and the frigates , and under Captains Hyde Parker, H. Bryne and William Dickson respectively, to escort the West Indies-bound merchants. Syrett (2007), p. 303 The following day Rodney encountered a Spanish convoy consisting of 22 ships, bound from San Sebastián to Cádiz. He closed on them, the copper sheathing on some of his ships allowing them to outsail the Spanish. The whole convoy was captured, except for one merchant vessel. Vessels which had been carrying naval stores to the Spanish fleet at Cádiz, and baled goods for the Royal Caracas Company were sent back to England, escorted by and . Rodney took those Spanish ships that were found to be carrying provisions useful to Gibraltar to relieve the British forces there. In addition Rodney commissioned and manned the captured Spanish flagship, the 64-gun Guipuzcoana, naming her , in honour of Prince William, who was present at the engagement. Rodney remarked in his despatches to the Admiralty that the loss of the ships "must greatly distress the enemy, who I am well informed are in much want of provisions and naval stores". Several days later Rodney engaged and defeated a Spanish fleet under Don Juan de Lángara at the Battle of Cape St Vincent, on 16 January 1780, before going on to relieve Gibraltar and Minorca. Ships involved The order of battle is as reported by Beatson. British fleet * (90) Admiral Sir George Brydges Rodney, Captain Walter Young * (98) Rear-Admiral Robert Digby, Captain Philip Patton * (100) Rear-Admiral John Lockhart Ross, Captain J. Bourmaster * (74) Captain J. Brisbane * (74) Captain S. Uvedale * (74) Captain Edmund Affleck * (74) Captain George Balfour * (74) Captain J. Peyton * (74) Captain John Elliot * (74) Captain J. Houlton * (74) Captain Adam Duncan * (74) Captain Mark Robinson * (74) Captain J. Douglas * (74) Captain Chaloner Ogle * (74) Captain S. Cornish * (74) Captain James Cranston * (74) Captain T. Penny * (74) Captain S. Wallis * (64) Captain S. Thompson * (64) Captain John MacBride * (32) Captain Henry Harvey * (28) Captain George Montagu * (24) Captain Skeffington Lutwidge * (24) Captain John Bazely * (24) Captain Lord Hugh Seymour * (24) Captain Edward Thomson Spanish fleet Caracas Company warships *''Guipuzcoano'' (64) Commodore Don Juan Augustin de Yardi, Captain Don Tomás de Malay *''San Carlos'' (32) Captain Don Firmin Urtizberea *''San Rafael'' (30) Captain Don Luis Aranburu *''Santa Teresa'' (28) Captain Don Jose J. de Mendizabal *''San Bruno'' (26) Captain J. M. de Goicoechea *''San Fermín'' (16) Captain J. Vin. Eloy Sanchez *''San Vicente'' (10) Captain Don José de Ugalde Merchants *''Nues. Señora de L'Oves'' *''San Francisco'' *''La Concepción'' *''San Nicolás'' *''San Jeronimo'' *''Divinia Providencia'' *''San Gavilán'' *''San Pacora'' *''San Lauren'' *''La Providencia'' *''La Bellona'' *''Esperanza'' *''Le Cidada de Mercia'' *''La Amistad'' *''San Miguel'' References ;Citations ;Bibliography * * * * The life and correspondence of the late Admiral Lord Rodney, Volume 1 By Godfrey Basil Mundy * * * Category:Conflicts in 1780 Category:Naval battles involving Spain Category:Naval battles involving Great Britain Category:Naval battles of the American Revolutionary War